Shabbat Nachamu / Parshat Vaetchanan 5767

Anyone who has doubts about whose war is being fought in the Middle East these days doesn’t have to look any farther than Seattle, Washington to realize that it’s our battle. As I’m sure you all know by now, an unstable Pakistani-born engineer broke into the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle last week and opened fire, killing one and injuring four. When he was finally arrested Naveed Afzal Haq said, “I’m upset at your foreign policy. These are Jews and I’m tired of getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East. I just want us out Iraq…”

Funny – I didn’t know that the Federation of Greater Seattle had a foreign policy….

With whom was Naveed Afzal Hak upset? Was he angry at Israel for its incursion into Lebanon, the United States for its inept presence in Iraq, President Bush for his policies, or Jews in general, for simply being Jews? Whoever it was, it’s clear where Naveed choose to take his battle: to a Jewish institution, to the federation of Greater Seattle.

Thankfully, this has been the only such incident since the recent war began in Lebanon, but it is a dark reminder to us all that the war that’s being fought in the Middle East today is also being fought on several different fronts. Not only that but Naveed reminded us that this is as much our war as it is Israel’s war.

On an altogether different front Mel Gibson was arrested for driving while intoxicated after he was stopped. Gibson lashed out at a police man and said, “The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world," and then he asked the arresting officer, "Are you a Jew?"

Ironically James Mee of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s office said he felt guilty about damaging Gibson’s reputation. The officer went on to apologetically say, "That stuff is booze talking," as if that made him less guilty. Indeed it was the booze. In Hebrew we have an expression – mishinichnas yayin yetze sod: “When wine goes in, secrets come out.” I suspect it was the liquor speaking and revealing Mel Gibson’s dirty little secret. Mr. Gibson really doesn’t like Jews.

Whether we realize it or not, we are no less a part of the war taking place in Northern Israel and Lebanon right now than the young men and women who are being sent to root out terrorism and to restore some security to Israel’s northern border. For the past four weeks we’ve been riveted to our televisions and radios, snatching up bits and pieces of information about what’s happening in Israel.But its time for us to get off our (you’ll pardon the expression) communal tuchas and do something

On the eve of Tisha B’Av I was sitting at the computer checking my mail when I received a message on Skype. One of my friends in Israel phoned me. He said, “Mark, we were in Israel together during the Yom Kippur War. In all my years here, I don’t remember anything like this…” I don’t need to tell anyone here that tens of thousands of people have been uprooted from their homes Haifa, Safed, Nahariyah and Kiryat Shemonah and in dozens of other towns and kibbutzim. I don’t need to tell you that thousands of Israelis are holed up in bomb shelters simply trying to make it through another day.

There’s no question that what’s happening in Lebanon is a terrible tragedy. Almost a million people are homeless and I’m certain the suffering in Southern Lebanon is truly terrible. But Israel did not choose this battle. All Israel ever wanted was to be left alone. The Lebanese may be victims of a war between Hezbollah and Israel, but I have to wonder where these same people were when thousand of cashes arms and rockets were being imported into Southern Lebanon and squirreled away in neighborhoods and villages? Where was the Lebanese government as Hezbollah prepared for this war? If Tisha B’Av teaches us anything it is that there are consequences to our actions, and the suffering of the Lebanese people is the consequence of their inaction.

This Shabbat is called Shabbat Nachamu. The Haftorah which we read this morning offers a message of comfort: Nachamu, nachamu ami yomar elohaichem. “Comfort, Oh Comfort, my people, says your God.” In the aftermath of Tisha B’Av we read a message of consolation and hope. But who’s comforting whom in these words? God calls on the leaders of Israel to comfort the nation in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple in 586 BCE. He tells the people that whatever suffering Israel has faced will now come to an end; that it is now their job to restore the land and renew their community.

We need take that message of comfort and renewal to heart today. As Jews of the Diaspora we have a special responsibility to reach out to the people of Israel in this time of crisis. But the people of Israel need more than prayers and words of comfort. They need our help, and we need to provide our support and to open our hearts and our pockets to the growing needs of the Jewish people during this crisis. Over the last three weeks, over 1400 Israelis have been wounded at the hands of Hezbollah, and over 60 have perished. Thousands of young people have been traumatized by falling rockets and the carnage all around them. Israelis are literally living in tents and temporary shelters waiting for the warfare to end.

The weather has been pretty terrible here hasn’t it? If you think its hot here – I must tell you that it was just as hot in central Israel and maybe even hotter as we found out a month ago when our small group visited Israel. As we Americans complain about not having air conditioning and all the comforts, I would like you to think about Israelis in stuffy bomb shelters and making due far from their homes.

“Nachamu nachamu,” God tells us. My friends -- it is time for us to stand up and do our part to help our brothers and sisters who are facing a major crisis in Israel today.

Many of you here probably remember the Six Day War. Do you remember the amazing response of the Jewish community in Israel’s hour of need at that time? We were in the same situation again during the Yom Kippur War. My own rabbi, an orthodox trained rabbi set aside his religious beliefs and took out a pen on Yom Kippur morning in front of the congregation. “This is Pikuach Nefesh – a matter of saving lives,” he said. He told the congregation that Israel desperately needed our help and if people were uncomfortable writing the checks themselves on Yom Kippur he would do it for them.

We are confronting a time of imminent crisis – and we should do no less. We need to stand up and step up to the plate. We need to do this not only for Israel but for America to see that the Jewish community is squarely behind the people of Israel.

Where should we begin? There are so many worthy projects. I have been talking in recent weeks about Barbara Silberman’s program, “A Package from Home” which provides care packages to Israeli soldiers. UJA-Federation has just allocated sixty million dollars to Israel for helping the victims of terror, trauma support and assistance to the vulnerable, rebuilding communal institutions, and addressing the tremendous economic burden that Israel is facing right now. Whatever we do is desperately need and will help.

A few years ago our congregation was responsible for beginning a campaign to provide an ambulance to the Magen David Adom. Unfortunately we never met our goal. I think under the circumstances we need to finish what we began. Jonathan Wolf has been in touch with all the other synagogues as well as the JCC in our community to help reach this goal – but the effort must begin here.

Whether or not we give an ambulance to the state of Israel is not really so important. The Magen David is involved in a whole variety of relief efforts for Israel and the money that we are holding needs to go to Israel now. The Magen David is baring a huge burden for dealing with the effects of the present crisis. It has 750 ambulances on active duty and thousands of workers putting in double shifts to take care of Israelis. So I am asking you this morning - won’t you reach out and help our people in this meaningful way?

Nachamu nachamu ami – we need to comfort our people with the healing balm of our concern, our support and our help!! Won’t you join me in making a difference?